Led by Lake George’s John Kelly and Reuben Smith of Hall’s Boat Corp., the Mystic Seaport maritime museum in Mystic, Connecticut, is documenting a once-famous class of sail boat that has slipped into obscurity. The boats, Sound Interclubs, were sailed on Lake George from the 1930s through the 1950s, when the Lake George Club replaced its racing fleet with Stars and Rainbows. Two of the surviving sail boats have been acquired by John Kelly, the Assembly Point resident whose 1936 Lake George Gar Wood was restored by Reuben Smith and the crew at Hall’s earlier this year. Hall’s is now restoring Kelly’s Sound Interclubs. Of Kelly’s two boats, one was in relatively good condition, but even that one had been disfigured by the force of the 42 foot mast and the weight of the lead keel, said Smith. So before he could begin the work of restoring the boats, Smith needed an accurate set of plans. Smith said he called Mystic Seaport in search of plans, photos and any additional information that might be in the museum’s extensive archives, and while dozens of clas- sic photos had been taken of the boats racing in Long Island Sound in the 1920s and 30s, no plans sur- vived. That inquiry led Mystic Seaport’s staff to start researching the Sound Interclub, said Louisa Watrous, the museum’s Intellectual Property Manager. “Mystic Seaport is delighted that Reuben Smith and John Kelly are doing this work, because the muse- um maintains a representative col- lection of American sailboats, and there’s too little information about the Sound Interclubs,” said Watrous. “The Museum doesn’t have a boat of this type in the col- lection, and the restoration at Hall’s offers us an opportunity to clarify and update the photographic and vessel records.” In the absence of the designer’s original plans (believed to have been lost in a fire), Smith is draft- ing a new set of plans as he restores Kelly’s first Sound Interclub; his plans, notes and photos of the restoration will guide the restora- tion of the other four Sound Interclubs. Mystic Seaport will be one of the beneficiaries of Smith’s work, says Louisa Watrous, Watrous, however, is not merely collecting the information gathered by Smith and Kelly; she’s heavily involved in co-ordinating research on the boats, enlisting the aid of people like Rik Alexanderson, whose grandfather, E.F. Alexanderson, was among those who brought one-design racing to Lake George. Alexanderson is conducting oral interviews about the boats’ history on Lake George, said Watrous. Others, like David Warren, have contributed photos of the boats being sailed on Lake George. “I tend to feel that stories pre- serve themselves; they’re waiting to be told and will be told when the time is right,” said Watrous. The oral histories and photos are not only valuable additions to Mystic Seaport’s archives, but can assist Reuben Smith and John Kelly in their work, said Watrous. For Watrous, researching the Sound Interclubs is not merely a professional obligation; it’s a way for her to rediscover her links to the lake. “I have personal ties to the lake through my family, and I even sailed on Sound Interclubs in the 1970s,” said Watrous. “After the Lake George Club switched to rac- ing Stars and Rainbows, two Sound Interclubs were sold to Canoe Island Lodge, where I worked as a college student in the 1970s.” John Kelly says he hopes to take his first sail in his Sound Interclub sometime this fall. “I became interested in the boats when I was researching the history of my Gar Wood, which was owned August 20, 2010 The Lake George Mirror Fi ve Enjoy a superb dinner in our screened in deck overlooking the Schroon River A SHORT SCENIC RIDE FROM THE PRESENT TO THE PAST Enjoy superb dining and friendly serv- ice while viewing the Mill’s museum of timbered ceilings, original mill works and historical exhibits. Enjoy cocktails and dining in the Miller’s Fieldstone Tavern, which opens to a dramatic screened deck overlooking the Schroon River rapids. On The Schroon Limited 100 River Street, Warrensburg, NY 623-8005 Reservations Appreciated Open six days a week, closed Wed Fine American Dining The Return of the Sound Interclub A retired Lake George sailboat is making a comeback, and Mystic Seaport is following its progress By Anthony F. Hall Above: Sound Interclubs on Long Island Sound by Morris Rosenfeld. Below: Sound Interclubs on Lake George. Mirror file photo. See INTERCLUBS Page 10